Learn a trade: plastering

save-a-lot

Hi

You could do nightschool, or search google for companies offering tiling courses. Prices vary wildly and so does duration of course. The best thing to do is seek reviews and feedback of any company you intend using for training. You cannot go wrong if you find a nightclass though via an educational establishment, look for college's that have a construction specialism.

shudd1967

My partner teaches at a place at evenings and weekends plastering here in Gloucestershire. The vast majority of people who go there to learn are people who need to do a lot of work to their houses and really want to do it themselves or already self employed plumbers and electrictians etc who want to complete the smaller jobs themselves instead of caling in another plasterer tradesman.

What they all say by the end of the week is that its a lot harder than you think and very tiring! My partner loves teaching these courses, although its evenings and weekends it means he works less in the week as a plasterer as now he is getting older it is so much harder "its a young mans game"!

Although its not his business, it is owned by a guy who is not a cowboy rip off merchant and he states straight away if you are looking to make money on it and go out on your own and do it then go and do a proper course and don't rip people off letting them believe you are a fully trained plasterer (or tiler) when your not.

I have done the course - nearly killed me! But I did it and it proves us ladies can do it too!!

There are quite a few of these schools etc around, my advice is don't go to the ones that state for the out lay of a few pounds you can make loads of £££ - cos you won't be taught properly, just the quick shoddy way - which sadly gives real tradesmen a bad name!

shudd1967

Oh and Nelly - My partner is this week replastering a kitchen and bathroom for a client who had it plastered by someone who stated they were fully trained - the plaster fell off the walls within 6 weeks!!!

Seems they had learnt from a 2 week course run somewhere in the Midlands, and they had not done the mix correctly or had added some extra additives as a shortcut quite poss to make the mix go off quickly.

Trouble is these people now have such a low opinion of the trade that my OH doesn't even get offered a cuppa!!!

save-a-lot

On the flip side, not all those who have learnt on a short course go out and do bad work. It is an easy scape-goat to blame people entering the trade via this route as I am sure there are established plasterers that bring the trade into disrepute too. I suppose it depends on the motivations of the individual, if it is only to make money then that is the problem, but for those who want to build a reputation good work has to be done.

Maybe my title to this thread sounds too flipant, it wasn't meant to sound like that. I believe that a trade has to be learnt then practiced and practiced and practised. At the point where you can say, "yes, I do good work" it is then you can offer a service to those who are not directly related to you for example.

stphnstevey

I'm doing a plumbing course on Saturdays - Will take me about 2 academic yrs to be qualified, but well worth it

shudd1967

save a lot - I do agree, like I said my OH finds that the vast majority of people who have attended the course are already tradesmen who could make life a lot easier (and maybe cheaper) for themselves and their customers by doing the small amount of work themselves. At least they have taken the time to learn and will take pride in their work.

there are a lot of dodgy tradesmen -i agree - we have suffered at their hands too - going bankrupt after writing you a cheque etc etc.......and doing terrible work..............but thats for a different forum!!!!!

We think that if you choose a course with a good name, meet them and inspect the premise, talk to the people teaching and ask leading questions they can be fantastic courses.........thats why my OH is employed by one part time...................and my chiropractor is rubbing his hands in glee still!!!!

topher_2

My brother is a plasterer - it took him 3 years full time to fully learn his trade. I'd be slightly worried about someone plastering my house who only had a few days teaching! Maybe you can learn to do basic, small areas but not large, difficult ceilings etc!

greenpixey

stphnstevey wrote: »

I'm doing a plumbing course on Saturdays - Will take me about 2 academic yrs to be qualified, but well worth it

Cool, that is something I've been considering doing myself. Been a housewife for the last 3 yrs and been thinking about doing evening/weekend course.
Would anyone employ a female plumber???

shudd1967

greenpixey

Go for it!! I know a few lady decorators - us ladies can do whatever the blokes do..................personally I reckon I should train to be a chiropractor after what im paying!!!!! They are brilliant mind!

stphnstevey - Hope you enjoy the course, its hard enough working full time etc without a saturday course learning a new trade!

Good luck both of you!

jamtart6

Which is better then? A 3 year course or a few day course? My OH is dying to start plastering but at 24 can't afford to give up work to become a trainee again - but has no idea what qualifications etc you need or which course is the best?

Can any of you plasters give advice? He would like it as a career ideally.